The 1609 Baronial Map depicts the townland as part of Aghalough to Teig Oge M’Teig M’Tirlagh O Dollan of Aghholagh for fighting against the Queen's forces. In the Plantation of Ulster by grant dated 26 June 1615, King James VI and I granted, inter alia, one poll in Aghalough to Sir George Graeme and Sir Richard Graeme to form part of the Manor of Greame. An Inquisition held at Cavan Town on 31 October 1627 found that George Greames was seized of one pole in Aghowlogh and he died 9 October 1624. By his will dated 1 May 1615 he left his lands to his son and heir William Greames, then 30 years old and unmarried. The Grahams fought on the Irish side during the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and, as a result after the end of the war, the Cromwellian Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652 confiscated their lands in Mullaghlea and distributed them as follows- The 1652 Commonwealth Survey lists the proprietor as Mr Henry Pigott and the tenant as Caffeira O'Dolan. In the Hearth Money Rolls compiled on 29 September 1663 there were four Hearth taxpayers in Mulaghlea- Farrell McBrien, Neale McEtire, Thomas McGawran and Ternan McKelaghcher. By grant dated 9 September 1669 King Charles II of England gave Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey, inter alia, the lands of Mullaghleagh with an area of 51 acres at an annual rent of £0-13s-9d. The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list twenty seven tithepayers in the townland. The 1836 Ordnance Survey Namebooks state- There is a light soil intermixed with sand & lime stone. An 1838 map of Mullaghlea is viewable online. The Mullaghlea Valuation Office Field books are available for November 1839. Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists fifteen landholders in the townland.
Mullaghlea Hedge-School
In the 'Second Report from the Commissioners of Irish Education Inquiry, 1826' there is a description of Mullaligh hedge-school. The teacher was a Roman Catholic, William Major, whose salary was £16 per annum. The schoolhouse was described as good and was valued at £100. There were 180 pupils, of which 90 were Roman Catholic and 90 were Church of Ireland. There were 130 boys and 50 girls on the roll. The school was supported by the Kildare Place Society.
Brackley School
The book Bawnboy and Templeport History Heritage Folklore, by Chris Maguire, gives the following description of Brackley school, which was actually located in the townland of Mullaghlea, not Brackley- Brackley National School 1826-1966: Teachers- Mrs. Mealiff ca. 1900; Miss Harkness 1903-'4; Robert Hall 1905-'7; Robert Smith 1907-'8; Mr. Close 1908-13; Maudie Kells 1913-14; Maud Stewart 1914-18; Isabella Hall 1918-20; Mrs. Foster 1921-29; Mrs. Coffey 1929-53; Miss Lattimer, short time; Miss Byers 1954-56; Mrs. Coffey 1 year; Miss Byers 1957-58; Mrs Knott 1958-1966 when Brackley School closed. The roll number was 11,778. In 1890 there were 65 pupils. A description by a schoolboy of Brackley School in the 1930s is viewable online.
